Pensacola Beach, Florida, ranks as the most accessible vacation destination in the U.S. for travelers with mobility needs. A recent study by Upgraded Points evaluated 100 popular leisure spots using eight key factors to determine how well each location accommodates visitors.
The research team examined entire towns, not just hotels. They used standardized metrics per 1,000 permanent residents, relying on projected 2026 population data. This approach favored smaller resort towns with high visitor volumes compared to their year-round populations.
How the rankings were built
Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief at Upgraded Points, explained that planning accessible travel requires thorough research. The study looked beyond lodging to assess whether an entire town could support travelers with mobility challenges.
Five categories received the highest weight of 3.0 each: the median price of accessible Airbnbs for a five-night stay, the number of accessible Airbnbs, wheelchair-accessible hotels, wheelchair-accessible tours and activities, and wheelchair-accessible trails. Accessible public restrooms and wheelchair-accessible restaurants were weighted at 2.0, while wheelchair-accessible bars carried a weight of 1.0. Data sources included Airbnb, Hotels.com, GetYourGuide, AllTrails, Refuge Restrooms, and Tripadvisor.
Pensacola Beach achieved the top score of 91.3 out of 100. The destination excelled in wheelchair-accessible restaurants, with 64.3 per 1,000 residents, and public restrooms, offering 16 per 1,000 residents. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, followed with a score of 89.6, largely due to its 42.4 step-free Airbnb listings per 1,000 residents—the highest in the study.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, led in the most individual categories, including 30 accessible hotels and 68.3 wheelchair-accessible restaurants. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Cape May, New Jersey, completed the top five, scoring 75.3 and 71.4, respectively.
Where accessibility meets affordability
Smaller towns dominated the top 10. Ogunquit, Maine, had the highest rate of accessible public restrooms at 61.9 per 1,000 residents—more than double any other destination. Ka’anapali, Hawaii, ranked first for wheelchair-accessible tours and activities. Leavenworth, Washington, offered the lowest median price for a five-night stay in a step-free Airbnb at $1,463.
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Rehoboth Beach and Gatlinburg were the only two locations to appear on both the “most step-free Airbnb listings” and “most accessible hotels” lists. Rehoboth Beach led in qualifying hotels and placed second for Airbnb listings. Gatlinburg topped the Airbnb category and ranked fourth for hotels.
While the rankings show where supply is strongest, they don’t guarantee a perfect fit for every traveler. The study’s authors noted that no model can account for every individual’s needs. They recommended confirming room layouts, entrance conditions, bathroom features, and transportation options directly with providers before booking.
Numbers alone don’t capture the full experience. A traveler using a wheelchair might find Pensacola Beach’s wide sidewalks and ramped beach access helpful, but challenges arise in busy restaurants or when trying to secure an accessible taxi at short notice. The rankings measure availability, not how reliably that access works or how willing local businesses are to adjust when problems occur.
The study also didn’t address the needs of travelers with less visible disabilities, such as those requiring quiet spaces or sensory-friendly environments. A town with high scores for physical accessibility might still struggle to support someone sensitive to noise or bright lights.
Bar Harbor, Maine, rounded out the top 10 with a score of 61.1. It provided a balanced mix of lodging, dining, and public amenities. The full study, including all 100 destinations analyzed, is available online.
Recent leadership changes in the hospitality industry reflect growing attention to accessibility. Simon Winchester will oversee operations at Sugar Beach Resort, bringing experience that could further improve guest accommodations.
